Recruitment and OOC thread for Sapphire City

[Bubbalin]

Alright, so who's going to pick up first?

I'll give those guys a little while or until I get bored... Then they might get a voicemail message...

[NezMaster]

Swain is in between thigs as he comes back to town on the train. He'll pick up the phone gladly.  (for Bubalin)

"Hello."
"Yeah, it's been uphill.  I hope your having better luck than I am." he says despondantely.



OOC: I'm not sure where to go from here.
Currently I need to
a> Figure out a plan that gets graham off the hook by either solving the murder, or pretending to give the mob either a computer, or $8,000.

b> I was giong to go to one of the events, but I'm not sure what I can get an invitation to, and what needs going to. I thought maybe



Cover ID 3: Alvin Spencer: Banker with a rich wife who is vacationing in paris. Reputation for being unfaithful. Interests: Kink, France, Profession: Banker

Thoguht mabye he could wrangle and invitaion to the big league party.

Cover ID 4: Ken White: Driver: squeaky clean past. Rode breifly in the race circuit, then retired to an elite limo service in North Hollywood. False Bank accounts show previously high balance, but currently very low. Interests: Cars, Racing Profession: Driver
Thought maybe he could go the sports car unveiling. This would just be a distraction since I'm knee deep in the other plot. anyone with ideas for how to proceed with the mob I'd love to hear. I don't like any of my options, becuase I'm not much for solving murders, and the other plans all have a pretty heavy chance of backfiring.

This might be too open ended. I don't know what to do next.

[RabidGerbil]

Nietzsche picks up.
"Yeah? Talk to me, what's the story? Right now my plan is I figure out what it's going to take to get this Mike character to take us to his boss. We need to make it crystal clear really fast that we do not deal with the help. I'm also going to dig around this murder, but you'll have to give me a little while - going to need to go out, talk to some people. Anything specific you need?"

Big 'ole Load of OOC
1. Dr Yes, I want to get as good an idea as you can get me of what the Agency presence in the city is right now - as far as my character knows, anyway. Is our team the ranking team in the city? Is there a centralized base? Are there R&D boys around, controls, general back-office folk? Or are we literally grassroots, flying by the seat of our pants here? Also in a similar vein, I know that we're usually in a Cal II situation, but is the Agency throwing any extra resources for stuff like buying real estate (for a base), setting up a cover organization etc. In a nutshell, I'm trying to get a sense of scope.

2. This will take some help from the team, so he's going to bring it up and discuss it before setting it into motion. Basically, the idea is - Amanda Noakes has an incompetent security force. We put enough info together on this fact, and basically start leaning on her, threatening to ruin her business unless she starts taking some "sugestions" from us. If she is smart and says yes, we tighten up her security (who but us knows about being stylish and competent at the same time?) and use it to collect surveillance on the people she's guarding etc. If she is dumb and says no, we should be ready to expose her, ruin her business, and be ready with our own "celebrity security" company to step into the gap --> either way, a new front for us. This is my long-term priority #1 (long term priorities can change wildly depending on what happens in the short term, though).

3. More big picture stuff - I'd like to have at least one of our fronts in the local underworld. We can keep going with the Chicago mob idea agent Leopard started, but we need to figure out what the Chicago mob would think of this - i.e. either we see if we can come to an arrangement with them to have a solid cover (frankly I'm not sure if we can, with our resources) or we need to take over one of the local criminal organizations and build it out from there. So far, Mike's group seems like a good candidate - we just need to see how large it is and how difficult it would be to take over. My guess/hope is that it won't be so bad for a team of level 6 agents - after all, this is a new city, so folks can't be more than a few years ahead of us in setting things up. This is long-term priority #2. In the meanwhile, we should pick a front organization that we can say we work for if asked - whether it is the Chicago mob, or Bob's cleaners doesn't matter, we should just have a consistent fallback.

4. Assuming no objections from Christmas, he will start asking around and building a full psych profile on Mike the Hammer, to figure out what sorts of levers he can find on him to take this to the next level. This is short-term priority #1.

5. Short-term priority #2 - Nietzsche will bust out his good 'ole P.I. role, and start seeing if he can figure out Sophia's murder. So far just broad-based digging (see if he can get access to the crime scene if it hasn't been cleaned yet, get a general sense of all the players in the situation, and see what sort of leads pop up).

6. On an unrelated note, how are we doing naming? Are we going by codenames (what I'm used to)? Real names? Aliases of some sort? Not a huge deal, we can just keep each using what we feel like, I'm just curious.

[Dr Yes]

Out of order from quickest to longest.

6) Names - just decide on a which name your character wants used (fullname, codename, nickname, alias) and go with that.  When a character is using cover identities I will assume everyone refers to them by their cover identity, but as players keep using their standard name.  Only the player using a cover identity should make reference to the name and cover just to remind/help me.

2) That is definitely doable.  I encourage you to make big picture plans, then break it down into a series of objectives/mini-missions collecting some input from me.  Throw around overview/plans on this thread and then we can jointly agree on a first step.  This ideally what I want you guys doing, the events and npcs I have thrown your way are just a starting point.

1) Its you guys and Graham.  Thats why there is an initial emphasis on meeting assorted people as that gives you potential access to specialists, contacts, networks, and maybe even a few recruits later.  Caliber II represents only that the agency wants you guys starting low key.  As you make progress you will get more funds from the agency and your own operations.  If you want a significant item ask me and i'll give you a few options on how you might get it.  Graham may have some intersting ideas for you on real-estate to use as a safehouse or base.

3) Developing a front operation is a great idea, and would be tackled like a slightly longer version of point 2) above.  If you find a small group inside Sapphire City you would get quicker progress then setting something up completely from scratch

4 and 5) Just tell me what you want to do as you next step - examples include - "Try get access to the room of the murder possing as a hotel service technician", "Arrange for graham to pay mike $500, then tail him and find out where he goes from there".

[Dr Yes]

OOC: I'm not sure where to go from here.
Currently I need to
a> Figure out a plan that gets graham off the hook by either solving the murder, or pretending to give the mob either a computer, or $8,000.

b> I was giong to go to one of the events, but I'm not sure what I can get an invitation to, and what needs going to. I thought maybe

Sorry, I feel I have probably created the wrong emphasis with Graham's problem.  In a worse case scenario the agency could extract Graham and give him a new identity.  If you manage to resolve a better outcome then that, that is a (rewardable) bonus.

What that objective is really about is getting you in contact with a shady dealer - and leaves it open how you use that in your broader long term goal.  Are you going to work with him? Do you trade with him? Do you take him out and try leverage on that? Do you try get control of his other blackmail targets and then obtain the leverage on them?

Same deal with the events.  At this stage of the game if you are meeting people and making plots and plans then you are doing well.  With your solid skills and cover identities I'm sure you could wrangle an invite.  If you have an idea how you might do it then we can work with that, otherwise I can present some options or maybe even start the scene with a fortunate coincidence that works your way.

[Bubbalin]

Nietzsche picks up.
"Yeah? Talk to me, what's the story? Right now my plan is I figure out what it's going to take to get this Mike character to take us to his boss. We need to make it crystal clear really fast that we do not deal with the help. I'm also going to dig around this murder, but you'll have to give me a little while - going to need to go out, talk to some people. Anything specific you need?"

Okay, I'm confused. I think you have the two strings mixed up, though they do seem to be heading in the same direction. I'm going to copy this quote over the scene 2 thread and pretend you didn't say anything about Mike...

[Dr Yes]

I just wanted to step back briefly and make a few general points about the game.

Firstly I just want to say I'm really pleased with the options, ideas and characters you have all presented so far.  I'm having alot of fun doing this, and hope you guys are enjoying it (or beginning to enjoy it, or wil enjoy it soon).


The biggest challenge facing this game (from both a GM and player perspective) is that it has a huge open scope that is really broad.  This is very different to your typical spycraft game that (eventually) plays out with a specific set of objectives.
In a typical spycraft game your GM will typical say "No" to alot of things, he needs to keep the game following the predesignated plot and avoid you bypassing what are meant to be significant obstacles.

The difference in this game is that Dr Yes will be trying to say "Yes" as often as is practical.  I don't really want to stop your plans from progressing, or prevent you from doing interesting things, as that is ultimately how this game will progress to be interesting and fun.  Sapphire City is the city of circumstance, and you will find good fortune offers brings about the introduction events you need to dive deeper into your larger goals.

A follow on from this is that I need to try keep things challenging.  If I say yes to everything no mater how unlikley and having everything play out perfectly you will probably get bored quite quickly.  So I will need to present complications and have things get a bit tricky for you once  you are making progress on them.  If I make something hard for you, or have it not work out how you hoped - I am doing this becuase I think you are up for the challenge (as player and character).  Don't take it as a bad thing, the great players will find things get a little rough sometime.

So without overdoing it, be bold and think big.  Just remember to take small steps that are playable.
Sapphire City is yours for the taking.   

[Bubbalin]

Dr Yes - I'm a bit confused about that cutscene from Amanda Noakes office? Could you please explain?

I was also tempted to go with 3 simultaneous things in real time, but sequentially in game time - conversing with synth, nietzsche and also going out with waiter, but I figure that's pushing it.

The biggest challenge facing this game (from both a GM and player perspective) is that it has a huge open scope that is really broad.  This is very different to your typical spycraft game that (eventually) plays out with a specific set of objectives.

The kind of game I love. I tried to start one on the old site... I bet Stephan (the character) would hate this seeing as nothing is truly determined!

[RabidGerbil]

Okay, I'm confused. I think you have the two strings mixed up, though they do seem to be heading in the same direction. I'm going to copy this quote over the scene 2 thread and pretend you didn't say anything about Mike...

No, that's mostly intentional (if you think the timing's off, let me know). It's an IC reflection of his short term priorities I mentioned in the OOC segment - he's basically saying "I will get on the murder investigation but it may take a little longer bcs what I'm doing right now is working on Mike."

I will respond IC in the Scene 2 thread.

The kind of game I love. I tried to start one on the old site... I bet Stephan (the character) would hate this seeing as nothing is truly determined!

Heh, oh but you see, it all is! We just can't see enough of the big picture . Or so he would say, anyway. It would actually be sort of interesting to get a thread going with interactions between the PC's (say, their original meeting or whatever) - as long as we make sure to keep a bit of a tight enough rein on things to keep disagreements from hurting future teamwork.

[Dr Yes]

Dr Yes - I'm a bit confused about that cutscene from Amanda Noakes office? Could you please explain?

A cutscene is just like a cutscene in a movie ("meanwhile back at the ranch").

Your characters are not there and techniclally do not know about it, but as players it may be interesting in view of the larger story.  In many cases you could also see it as a prompt suggesting another course of action for later.  I may also use them to reinforce the behaviour you should already anticipate from some npcs if I had described them better inearly encounters/briefinngs.

[Bubbalin]

No, that's mostly intentional (if you think the timing's off, let me know). It's an IC reflection of his short term priorities I mentioned in the OOC segment - he's basically saying "I will get on the murder investigation but it may take a little longer bcs what I'm doing right now is working on Mike."

Okay. I guess I just wonder from an in game perspective whether Reese would actually even know what was happening with Mike, seeing as she hasn't been present for those scenes, nor spoken to Michael.

Heh, oh but you see, it all is! We just can't see enough of the big picture .

*Skepticism* Uh huh...

Also, I just figured out that cutscene...

and for everyone's info, I put some equipment onto Reese's writeup and added the skill bonuses from origin in.

[Bubbalin]

...A cutscene is just like a cutscene in a movie ("meanwhile back at the ranch")...

Yeah, I got that. Sorry, I just meant that I didn't see how it fit in story wise, but then I looked around a bit at the background info and figured it out... The tangled webs you weave!

[Dr Yes]

IMPORTANT UPDATE - Inter-team dialog and phonecalls

I think if you guys talking to each other is spread across all the threads it will get confusing (if it hasn't already!).
I would suggest the following:

1) If two or more player characters are discussing something with a npc (or npcs are otherwise actively involved) put it in the related scene/in-character thread.

2) If the discussioin has no npcs involved, but strongly relates to a specific scene, put it in the thread for that scene.

3) Otherwise put in this thread.  So this thread will be OOC chat, and in character chat that doesn't involve specific npcs or scenes.

I'm also going to assume that you (eventually) become aware of each others key progress/intel without communicating it in game, otherwise it could potentially becoem very unmanagable.   

We may well need to review this again.  But lets try it like this for a few days.   

[Dr Yes]

A brief note about cover identities
If you have a cover identity to sometimes back up what you are doing, then thats excellent.

If you don't have one, don't panic!  A cover identity is ultimately useful when someone tries to do further research into your background - it is a bigger issue when security checks might be appropriate to a location, or you arrouse suspicions enough that someone starts trying to look into your past.

If your turn up to what is essentially a social or informal situation and/or tell a few little white lies its no big thing - especially for skilled agents such as yourself.  If you apply for significant paperwork, deliberately arrouse suspicions or continue to have extended contact with someone who does not trust you, it is a bigger issue then.

Other short term alternatives to cover identities can sometimes include any combination of the following - dressing the part (maybe with appropriate equipment), stealing security badges/passes/insignia/uniforms, behaving in a way consistent with what is expected, presenting a very plausible explanation, a great bluff (works best if backed up with something).

[Bubbalin]

Reese is looking for a cover because she expects to be in extended contact with the family and their associates. Also because it gives her another name to use without compromising her own cover.

Ideally she would want cover identities to be in Clare, Larissa, Ruby or Jade so she will instinctively answer to them.